Aerial Gunning

Arctics Domain

Aerial Gunning

Stop Aerial Gunning of Wolves

If you would like to voice your opinion click on the defender of wild life link and either voice your opinion or sign the patittion.On my link page.

Thank You

Arctic Wolf

More Than 100 Wolves Fall Victim to Alaska's Aerial Gunning Program

January 9, 2004

Aerial Wolf Kill in Alaska
Kerwood Wolf Education Centre Inc.
In just over two months, 143 wolves have been killed in Alaska's controversial aerial-gunning program, which was launched in late January despite two public votes against it. Hundreds more wolves are scheduled for extermination in the campaign.

At the behest of hunting groups, the Alaska Board of Game is allowing hunters to use aircraft to kill up to 140 (80%) of the wolves in this 8,000-square-mile area by the end of April. Here, hunters are required to use the land-and-shoot method, in which they chase down wolf packs using aircraft then, as the wolves collapse from exhaustion, land and shoot them.

The Board of Game has also approved aerial wolf hunting elsewhere, including a 1,700-square-mile area near McGrath, where hunters are allowed to shoot at least 40 wolves from the air. (To urge the governor to cancel the program, click here.)

The purpose of the wolf-killing plan is to cut down the competition for moose and caribou. Hunters have loudly complained that wolves eat too many moose calves, leaving too few moose for sport hunting. Some wildlife biologists and conservationists, however, question Alaska Fish and Wildlife's data on moose population size and demographics. But even if the data were accurate, the moose population in question has been shown to be at or above the objectives set by the state.

Governor Frank Murkowski's decision to side with trophy hunters and resume the aerial killing of wolves has caused a national uproar, particularly since Alaska voters have twice (in 1996 and again in 2000) affirmed a long-standing moratorium on aerial gunning. The governor has brushed aside the criticism by stating that "people who have never visited Alaska imagine wolves as majestic creatures that shouldn't be touched, but they never look at the majesty of the moose calf, and the right for that calf to reproduce."

The HSUS has found no record of Murkowski commenting on the rights of a moose with regard to human predation.

Murkowski further justified his stance in the face of negative public opinion: "We've got a state to manage and a game population to manage, and we've got to do it not on a basis of emotion but on a basis of sound science."

But Murkowski's statements suggest that he himself is overlooking sound science on the role of both predator and prey in ecosystems and the complexity of the predator-prey relationship. Clearly he, too, is allowing emotion and personal bias to color his vision of nature, or what he thinks nature ought to be. He, no doubt, is also influenced by the extra revenue generated by non-resident licenses as well as caribou and moose tags.

Hope for Alaska's Wolves!

Protect America's Wildlife (PAW) Act Would Close a

Loophole in the Federal Airborne Hunting Act

Rep. George Miller's (Calif.-D) Protect America's Wildlife (PAW) Act prevents politicians in Alaska from exploiting a loophole in federal law that resurrects aerial hunting while they try to disguise it as "wildlife management" -- against the wishes of the people of Alaska who have twice voted to limit this barbaric practice. Even worse, Wyoming and other states could soon follow suit.

Responsible hunters know that allowing private citizens to kill wolves from low-flying aircraft isn't wildlife management and it isn't ethical hunting. And they know that chasing wolves to exhaustion and shooting them at point-blank range just isn't right.

Removing federal protections for gray wolves could expose wolves in the

to aerial gunning, poisoning and trapping.

Gray wolves in the Great Lakes have lost Endangered Species Act protections, with the Bush administration also pushing to remove federal protection for wolves in the northern Rockies within the year.

Endangered Grey Wolf Management of wolves in the Great Lakes was turned over to the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan in March. The same could happen with states in the northern Rockies, even though officials in Idaho and Wyoming intend to kill the majority of the wolf population there.

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision is cause for both celebration and alarm, as the Great Lakes and the northern Rocky Mountain states have very different outlooks on how to manage the wolves after de-listing," says Defenders President Rodger Schlickeisen.

The Great Lakes gray wolf population has increased from fewer than 1,000 in the early 1970s to about 4,000 wolves today. "Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan have shown their commitment to wolf conservation while under federal protection and are ready to assume management for the state populations," says Defenders Gina Schrader.

But the case is different in Idaho, where Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has publicly announced that the state will seek to kill more than 75 percent of the states wolves through large-scale hunting and aerial-gunning programs. And in Wyoming, the state would allow 16 out of the existing 23 packs of wolves in the state to be killed on sight-through the use of poisoning, trapping and shooting on 90 percent of the wolfs current home range outside of national parks.

"Instead, these two states should take a cue from Montana, which has a conservation-oriented management plan for wolves in their state," says Suzanne Stone, Defenders northern Rockies representative.

Gray wolves were reintroduced into the northern Rockies a decade ago and now number more than 1,200 there. De-listing wolves in this region would mean removing federal protections not only in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, but in eastern Washington and Oregon and a portion of northeastern Utah-before wolves are even restored in those states. The decision to de-list wolves in the northern Rockies is yet another example of the Bush administrations assault on federal environmental protections, conservationists point out.

"Prematurely removing protection for wolves jeopardizes one of the most successful wildlife restoration efforts in U.S. history," says Schlickeisen. "Killing hundreds of wolves needlessly is persecution, not responsible wildlife management."

Aerial Gunning of Wolves Continues in Alaska

A temporary restraining order seeking to once again halt Alaska's aerial gunning programs was denied by the Alaska Supreme Court on February 10th, 2006. This means that the state's aerial gunning programs are once again in full swing and will continue through the end of April. Defenders is preparing testimony and comments for the upcoming Board of Game meeting regarding the Board's emergency regulations as well as new proposals that seek to drastically expand control of brown bears and lengthen wolf control in some areas.

Under the anti-conservation Board of Game's direction, more than 400 wolves in Alaska have been killed by the barbaric practice of aerial gunning.

Easy targets against fallen snow, wolves can be gunned down from airplanes or chased to exhaustion, then shot at point blank range.

A state judge recently ruled that the state of Alaska's regulations, upon which their aerial gunning program is based, were illegal, giving wolves a temporary reprieve. The Alaska Board of Game immediately scheduled an emergency meeting to address the deficiencies the court found. At this meeting, the Board adopted new regulations, which were filed January 26th. This action allows the state to issue new aerial gunning permits. Aerial gunners are expected to be operating as early as next week. More than 400 wolves have been killed over the past 3 winters and the new plans target approximately 400 more.

We are calling on everyone who cares about wolves and wildlife to help us permanently halt this senseless slaughter, by taking the following steps:

First, make a tax-deductible emergency contribution to Defenders of Wildlife's Campaign to Save Alaska's Wolves. Your contribution will help to help gather signatures, raise media awareness, and pressure Interior Secretary Norton to stop the killing.

Second, sign Defenders of Wildlife's petition to Interior Secretary Norton demanding that she enforce the Federal Airborne Hunting Act and halt this barbaric practice at once.

Thank you for caring...

Sincerely,

Dorothy Keeler

Enter content here

Defenders of Wildlife

Alaska's Hunters Speak Out Ed Davis, Ester, AK Airborne hunting undermines both the concept of fair chase and the political climate for sport hunters across the country. Real hunters will vote to reclaim our integrity as outdoors men by banning aerial wolf hunting. Other "hunters" who are incapable of, or unwilling to, pit their wilderness skills against the instincts of their prey, should just stay home - during hunting season and on Election Day.Dave Haas, Juneau, AK I have hunted and been an adventurer in Alaska for 30 years. I've been fortunate enough to see wild wolves a few times. I value those experiences as the essence of being an Alaskan and an avid outdoors man. While I depend upon venison yearly, I would never choose to have wolves shot or trapped to try and increase the deer population. I'll take what I can naturally get out there. I don't need or want any help from a posse in a plane. Predators keep it natural and make it valuable. There aren't many places in the world where you have that.Bill Brown, Gustavus, AK Aerial hunting of wolves is akin to the medieval demonization of wolves. A wolf howling at night is symbolic of wilderness. Killing an alpha wolf can disorganize an entire pack. I used to be a hunter, but I'm completely against the aerial hunting of wolves.Nick Jans, Juneau, AK Without wolves, deer and moose numbers explode in unsustainable numbers, then crash, over and over. Wolves, too, are a valued resource on which trappers and subsistence hunters depend. Beside that, blasting wolves from airplanes reflects horribly on the state's image. Aerial predator control is a smoke screen for special interests. It's un-Alaskan, based on shaky science, and just plain wrong. Predator control subtracts from, not adds to, my wilderness experience and, in my opinion, doesn't improve my odds of hunting success.

Wolf News around the World, September 2007 - by Chris Kirby

Alaska

With a 3 year old Arctic gray wolf named Atka at his side, U.S. Rep. California; George Miller, D-Martinez appeared September 25 in Washington DC with wildlife experts to introduce new legislation that would end airborne hunting of wolves in Alaska. The legislation will close a loophole in the 1972 Airborne Hunting Act that has allowed Alaska to issue permits to shoot and kill nearly 700 wolves from airplanes over the past four years. The state claims that it does not have an airborne wolf hunting program. State wildlife managers say they don't see the aerial shooting as hunting -- they call it "predator control." The effort to ban aerial hunts is being led by Defenders of Wildlife, a Washington D.C.-based wildlife conservation organization. Alaskans have twice voted to ban such hunting. The Legislature has overturned those bans both times. Voters will get the issue again next year. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, who has often been at odds with Miller over the CA congressman's involvement in Alaska issues, immediately fired back. Hunting is a state issue that Congress shouldn't be involved with, Young said in a statement. The new legislation known as the Protect America's Wildlife Act, will make it clear that the exceptions written into the Airborne Hunting act only apply to legitimate biological emergencies and cannot be evoked simple for the purpose of increasing game populations, according to Miller. Atka, a 3-year old gray wolf, Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, New York, drew a crowd of House staffers and onlookers and more cameras than usual for a press conference announcing new legislation. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., introduced the House bill in the Committee on Natural Resources (former chairman). He was joined by Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., and Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash. "It's time to ground Alaska's illegal and inhumane air assault on wolves," Miller said in a news release. "The state of Alaska has been operating on airborne hunting program that not only ignores federal law but violates Alaskans' and other Americans' wishes." Defenders of Wildlife's posted a 10 minute video on YouTube September 20. The video uses what the group call archival footage to demonstrate an aerial wolf hunt. In the first 6 days, more than 7,400 people have logged on.

A Smithsonian-led team of scientists has added a highly carnivorous form of wolf that lived in Alaska north of the ice sheets to the list of large mammals extinct at the end of the Ice Age. Wolves were generally thought to have survived the end-Pleistocene extinction relatively unscathed but this previously unrecognized type of wolf appears to have vanished without a trace some 12,000 years ago. Researchers results imply that the Alaskan wolves died out completely, leaving no modern descendents.

Colorado

A Missouri Heights man with 30 years of backcountry experience in the Aspen area says he saw a wolf on the east side of Independence Pass on Labor Day weekend. The sighting was reported to a wildlife officer. Wildlife Division spokesman, Randy Hampton said "You can't really tell without genetic testing."

Hidden in the mountainous canyons of rural Larimer County, a wolf sanctuary's growth is affected by the county government and neighbors who complain of the barking. They are also concerned that if the sanctuary opens to the public, traffic on the narrow canyon road will cause problems.

Montana

State wildlife managers are preparing for Montana's first wolf hunt, which could happen as soon as next Fall. The state is preparing for the possible hunting and trapping of wolves in Montana for the first time in decades, but biologists like Carolyn Sime with Montana Wolf Program say many issues must be addressed including goals to keep a viable population of "breeding pairs" of wolves. "If you have high numbers of breeding pairs, then you can in theory offer more opportunity. Higher quotas, more permits, something like that." But biologists say they also have to take other issues into account such as conflicts between wolves and humans as they firm up the possible hunt toward the end of the year.

5 wolves from 2 separate packs were killed September 24 and 25 in southwestern Montana for preying on cattle. That brought the number of wolves removed by federal agents in Granite County over the past two weeks to 9. "This has been the busiest month for depredations all summer," said Liz Bradley, wolf management specialist for Montana Fish & Wildlife and Parks. Officials from the USDA Wildlife Services shot and killed 1 adult female and 3 young females out of the Sapphire Pack in upper Rock Creek on Monday. Monday's action on US Forest Service land in upper Rock Creek was authorized by FWP in response to a calf kill on private land confirmed last Friday. The four killed Monday were shot from a helicopter. The pack one of the largest in western MT was weeded down after the 2nd killing on private land since July. On Tuesday the lone survivor of the Bearmouth Pack southwest of Drummond was killed. Wildlife Services removed 4 wolves from the Bearmouth pack in mid-Sep, after eliminating 1 in Aug. Tuesday's kill was a collared alpha female. The wolf kills pushed the number of government-mandated wolf kills in 2007 past the total for all of 2006 in Montana. A tentative mid-year count released this week by the US Fish & Wildlife Service said 50 wolves had been killed through last week. That compares to 53 last year.

Wealthy California entrepreneur of the 26,000 acre Sun Ranch, Roger Lang was cited by federal authorities for allegedly killing two wolves illegally on his Madison Valley ranch July 23. After livestock depredation, officials issued kill permits for 2 adult wolves. However, Lang's employees killed a pup and wounded the pack's alpha female. The wounded female couldn't run with the pack and had been hanging around cattle for two weeks when an employee on an ATV spotted it, Lang said. He gave chase about a mile and after hitting it repeatedly about 9 times, pinned it under the vehicle. A colleague eventually showed up and shot the animal, Lang said. Lang expressed remorse and said he has no plans to fight the charges. Federal officials couldn't comment under a policy that prohibits them from discussing law enforcement cases until they are fully adjucated. In this case, the wolf was at least 75 to 100 yards from the cattle and moving away from them when Dixon began pursuit report states. The FWP report said Dixon and Kody Meghini, the ranch's predator management specialist or wolf rider, said at the time they believed running the wolf down was allowable under the 10(j) rule of the Endangered Species Act, which spells out the circumstances under which ranchers can kill wolves. Ranch workers are being trained in the use of the 10(j) rule, he said. The wolf was the Wedge's pack's alpha female.

Federal trappers shot and killed all 4 members of the Fleecer pack believed to have been preying on cattle on private land near Mt Fleecer south of Butte. The female wolf was trapped and collared the next day by federal trappers who led them to the other 3 adult wolves in the pack. "There was a lot of potential for further problems in there because that particular landowner was calving--we had a real chronic pattern of depredation starting and wanted to stop it before it got worse," Liz Bradley, wolf management specialist with the MT Dept. of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, said. 1 wolf was killed by shooting it from an airplane over the ranch. The other 3 were shot by federal trappers from helicopters. One wolf was shot but not recovered. Montana estimates 394 wolves in 71 packs according to USFWS. 50 wolves have been killed this year through management actions in this state.

New Mexico

The New Mexico Game and Fish is offering a chance to go out on Wolf monitoring expeditions with Mexican Gray Wolf Biologist, Ellen Heilhecker in the Gila National Forest. The program is part of the state's Gaining Access Into Nature program.

Northern Rockies

Recent hearings were held in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming on revisions to the rule that governs how the reintroduced wolves are managed--the 10j rule. Outside of Cody, WY the recent public testimony panned the proposal. Their proposal also requires a process by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) known as the EA (Environmental analysis). Therefore, USFWS is doing a quick environmental analysis (EA) on their new 10j rule and you are invited to comment. All public comments for both the proposed 10(j) special rule and the EA must be received by the Service by October 11, 2007. Both documents can be viewed at their website.

Comments on the draft 10(j) special regulation and the draft EA ( both identified by RIN number 1018-AV39)
Mail or hand-deliver comments to, USFWS, Western Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator, 585 Shepard Way, Helena, MT 59601.
Electronic mail (e-mail) directly to the Service at WolfRuleChange@fws.gov [for 10(j)] and or at EA-WolfRuleChange@fws.gov [for EA]
Include "RIN number 1018-AV39" in the subject line of the message(s).

For comment ideas see WHAP article by founder Maria Ferguson.

Wolves are being killed at an increased rate across the Northern Rockies this year as their population expands and wildlife officials seek to curb their appetite for livestock, state and federal officials said September 10.

Ed Bangs has released the mid-year estimate of wolf numbers. The numbers are compared to the end of 2006; therefore, population growth will be grossly overstated, as wolves will perish between mid-2007 and the end of 2007.

2006 MT 316 ID 673 WY 311 TOTAL 1300

2007 MT 394 ID 788 WY 362 TOTAL 1545

Bang's agency also reported that the number of sheep, cows and dogs killed by wolves is down with 439 last year and 306 so far this year. However, the number of wolves killed in response is expected to top last year's figure: 134 wolves have been killed by federal agents and private citizens defending livestock so far this year, and officials expect more deaths. The figure for all of 2006 was 142 killed. Bangs said the government's reaction has been more aggressive particularly in WY. Instead of allowing up to 3 livestock deaths before removing a problem pack, some packs in the state were removed after 2 instances.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service is proposing to loosen legal language allowing state agencies to kill wolves that are having an "unacceptable impact" on elk, deer and other ungulate herds. Taking out wolves that are eating into those herds won't be a problem for the overall Rocky Mountain wolf population, Wolf Recovery Coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service, Ed Bangs, said. Right now, most wild ungulate herds outside Yellowstone National Park in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming are at "record high" levels and above state management goals, according to the agency's environmental assessment of the proposal.

Washington

A calf in northeastern Washington near the Stevens County border community of Laurier had recently been predated. The livestock death is believed to be the first in Washington caused by a wolf since the predators were effectively erased from the state through bounty-hunting, poisoning and trapping in the 1930's. Photos and measurements were also taken of large canine footprints found in the area. The wolf is protected as an endangered species under both state and federal law in Washington. Agents hope to attach a tracking collar on the wolf in order to monitor its movements. There are no plans to kill it said Tom Buckley, spokesman for the F&W Service. Rancher Len McIrvin of the Diamond M Ranch is eligible for reimbursement for the lost calf through a trust fund established by the conservation group, Defenders of Wildlife. A field necropsy was conducted the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife agreed the calf is likely the first recognized wolf kill in Washington state since the 1930's. Although most everyone involved with the investigation agrees a wolf did it, confirmed is not a word anyone is willing to utter.

Wyoming

The Wyoming Game & Fish Department intends to ask the Legislature for $4.55 million to manage wolves during the 2008-09 biennium. The proposed budget is found in the draft Wyoming Gray Wolf Management Plan presented to the state Game and Fish Commission September 7, 2007 in Casper. The commission is expected to approve taking the plan before the public. Then, the department intends to take the proposed budget to Gov. Dave Freudenthal and then to the Legislature for a general fund allocation. Wolf control would not be paid from hunting and fishing license revenues. The proposal amounts to $2.27 million per year for Wyoming wolf management. By contrast, the US Fish & Wildlife Service has spent $2 million annually on wolves in the entire Northern Rockies. "This budget is a boondoggle, and a disservice to the people of Wyoming," said Rob Edward of the carnivore conservation group Sinapu. "You'd spend much less if you simply paid three times the market value for every cow or sheep killed and called it good."

4 public meetings were held in Lander, Casper, Cody and Pinedale. Folks living nearest the majority of wolves in the state like Jackson had a far way to travel if they wanted to comment on Wyoming Revised Wolf Management Plan. The Department will not be accepting verbal comments or e-mail comments. Those interested in commenting on the draft revised plan must do so either in writing or electronic commenting system at the department’s website until October 10. Written comments can be submitted at the public meetings or mailed to: Wolf Comments, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, 5400 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82006. Hardly anyone showed up at the hearings in Wyoming.

So far this year, Federal wildlife managers have killed 44 wolves in Wyoming for preying on livestock according to Mike Jimenez, a wolf biologist with the US Fish & Wildlife Service. That's "about normal" for Wyoming's wolf population and about the same as last year, Jimenez said. Although livestock deaths are dramatically lower so far, Jimenez said the same number of wolves has been removed because federal agents have "taken out more wolves quicker in shorter time frame to not allow packs to keep killing." The Cody and Meeteetse area has been the busiest for wolf control. Wolf managers removed the majority of the Carter Mountain pack, leaving only an adult female and pup in the pack that once numbered 15. The Washakie pack has seen some wolf control, as well as the Gooseberry pack that routinely has wolves removed every year. There are about 175 wolves in Wyoming outside YNP, and 130 inside the park. Jimenez said wolf numbers will remain stable outside the park, but inside the park saw a bump this year because last year had a distemper outbreak. Wyoming has indicated it wants to manage for the minimum number of wolves, or about 100.
US Fish & Wildlife intend to adopt the Wyoming Wolf management plan if Game & Fish approve it. "The state could take over management by mid-January," said Bill Rud, Game & Fish Division Chief. "It could be that quickly." Rud along with Game & Fish biologist Steve Tessman were in Cody last Thursday Sept 20 for the 4th and final public presentation of WY's wolf management plan. More than 60 attended the meeting including Reps. Colin Simpson and Pat Childers. The new plan includes a dual classification for Wyoming's wolf population depending where there are in the state. "Trophy Game" area where the state will issue hunting and trapping licenses and limit the number of wolves killed and "Predator" area where wolves will be killed any way any how with the stipulation that all kills be reported. If the new plan is approved, the lawsuit between the state and the federal government will be dropped, Rud said. Wyoming pastures about 1.4 million cows at peak. The sixty cattle loss attributed to Wolf kills amounts to 4.5/100th's of one percent of Wyoming's cattle herd.

Yellowstone

Not only are all of the packs on the Yellowstone Park northern range large, they are all almost equal in size. The Park pup count for the year is quite accurate and pup survival was high. It is harder to keep track of the adults so basically the numbers are as follows give or take a few: Druid Peak- 20 wolves, Agate Creek- 20 wolves, Oxbow Creek- 20 wolves, Leopold- 20 wolves, Slough Creek- 20 wolves. The Slough adults are all females except for one male born to the pack some time ago and a brand new alpha male who came from the Agates. To the south a bit, the Hayden Valley Pack with 5 adults and 4 pups. Nine wolves is a substantial pack, but they have an overlapping territory with the larger Gibbon pack of 10-12 adults and 2-4 pups. They Haydens are also in contention with the brawny bison-killing Mollies Pack (8-9 adults and 5 pups). Dr. Doug Smith says that studies have shown that the ability for a wolf pack to kill bison is different than killing elk (where speed is an advantage, something more typical of female wolves). Successful bison-killing packs are like Mollies. They have a number of large, strong males. There was no run down on the rest of the Park's packs, except for the Bechler pack. There was no information on them this year until now. Inhabiting the SW corner of Yellowstone, the pack has 10-12 adults and 4-5 pups. The Park population is up for the second year in a row after the big crash, although the mid-year estimate of about 175 is probably an overestimate because the adult wolf count for mid-year was mostly based on that of late last winter. Factoring in the Yellowstone Park wolf increase, we see that it accounts for much of the Wyoming increase mid-year as reported by Ed Bangs the other day.

Canada

A woman already charged with several counts of animal cruelty now faces a dozen more in what animal-protection workers called a brutal case of neglect. Inspectors with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals swooped down last November on a Kerwood property, west of London, seizing 18 animals. But they returned in March and took another 28 animals -- 12 of which were "skin and bones" wolves -- and launched the second probe that ended in the 12 new charges. OSPCA official Rebecca Tanti, "Without regulations for the standard of care for the animals in these types of facilities, our hands are tied until the situation deteriorates to the point that the animals' lives are in jeopardy."

Switzerland

Photographic traps installed capture a wolf entering the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. Genetic testing showed the wolf is of Italian origin. Wolves are already present in the nearby cantons of Valais and Bern. Measures have been put in place to protect livestock herds. A national plan authorizes the culling of a wolf after a minimum of 25 livestock animals have been killed in an area in a month. Experts say that wolves are normally not a danger to humans. They will even flee from children. The only exception is if it is wounded it may become aggressive.

Russia

In Chechnya (the southern Russian republic) this year several reports of wolves appearing near populated areas. After an attack, the owners put a guard on their livestock but after three nights lifted their precautions believing the wolves sensed an ambush and would not return. The very next night a pack of wolves reportedly carried out an attack on the farm. Experienced hunters say the reason is wolf cubs are now being given lessons in how to hunt since it is the season to teach them. Until recently, it was believed large numbers of wild animals and birds left Chechnya crossing into neighboring republics due to ongoing military operations particularly bombing and shelling of mountainous areas. Now ecologists believe that much of Chechnya's lost wildlife population may be gradually re-establishing itself.

Tibet

A rare Tibetan wolf died abruptly in a Himachal Pradesh zoo, wildlife officials said September 15. Found in the Tibetan plateau, Shimla died at Kufri Nature Park located 9,000 feet above sea level. Autopsy has been carried out, however, the details have not been made public by the authorities. The Tibetan Wolf, Canis Lupus Chanku, is a sub-species of the Gray Wolf.

United Kingdom

The UK Wolf Conservation Trust, based in Beenham, is hosting its annual seminar at Ufton Court and has invited 3 wildlife experts to discuss the possibility of introducing wolves to Britain.

How would those government officials that say there is no

The state claims that it does not have an airborne wolf hunting program.State wildlife managers say they don't see the aerial shooting as hunting -- they call it "predator control." Well how would they like being chased by plane

until they are so exhausted that all a person had to do is walk up to them and shoot them And have some one say we don't do that.They can say what they want there is aerial hunting is alaska.And it is starting again soon.
if it is aloud to continue there wolves all over the world
be slaughtered needlessly.What happens in alaska effects wolves every where Idaho and wyoming wants to airborn hunt wolves also.

Enter supporting content here